§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special arrangements are available to help women's prisons which do not share a site with a men's prison to accommodate their requirements for maternity leave among prison officers. [28007]
§ Ms QuinNo special arrangements exist. However, the normal arrangement to meet critical shortfalls of staff availability is to supply detached duty staff from other establishments. Exceptionally, where a critical shortfall can be forecast (for instance in the case of cumulative staff absences on maternity leave) and this exceeds the nominal allowance for leave and sick absence, governors are advised to make bids for extra funding to cover this contingency.